Record sorting device



Octo 2, F. M' CARROLL ET AL L RECORD SORTING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May l5, 1946 FIG. i.

1I Dui MAT oct. 2, 1951 F M' CARROLL ET AL 2,569,799

RECORD SORTING DEVICE Filed May l5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 n nr AATTORNEY Oct' 2 1951 F. M. CARROLL ET AL RECORD SORTING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May l5, 1946 A ORNEY mmm 0 Oct. 2, 1.,5l M' CARROLL ET AL 2,569,799

RECORD soR'rm; DEVICE Filed May 15, 194e es sheets-sheet 4 ATTORNEY Qr- Oct. 2, 1.,a1 F. M. CARROLL ETAL 2,599,799

RECORD SORTING DEVICE Filed May l5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet `5 7 III-1'" ATTORNEY ct. 2 1951 2 569 799 O F. M. CARROLL ET AL RECORD SORTINC DEVICE Filed' May 15, 194e e sheets-sheet e -SA L o o -o--DRSB R20 im. FIG 8 |2o|SAC` 88 H90 S a Rf-J'BSWE @1T BRUSH Swn'CH |2oo HZl 5 BAR MAGNET R5 ASw' PR5 334 R51 j c 405s GRZ CFCLJv L o CARD FEED `l-CFT |223 25: CLUTCH MAO.- l 5 297 ELL L RIA-LEF CARD LEVER /202 CFII |203 Y Y Y V Rl 3" CARDLEVER 293' Rza/* b I6 OFFSET STACKER R o {DEFLECTOR MAG.

CARD FEED CLUTCH CONTROL CR2 OFFSET STACKER RELAY HogmGcR OFFSET STACKER CONTACT S|6 STACKER sw|`TCH 334 UPPER CARD LEVER LowER CARD LEVER Slo UPPER ZONE BRUSH SUPPLY H| LOwER ZONE BRUSH SUPPLY CFI LowER PR|NT BRUSH SUPPLY CE2 BRUSH Sw|TCH BAR RELAY P|C| UPCF7 BRUSH Sw|TCH BAR RELAYHOLDING CARD LEVER RELAY HOLDING CF|| HEAD CARD RELAY CF|5 OFFSET STACKER RELAY HoLDmsfg OFFSET STACKER MAS P|C| UP CF1-z n. ENT R5 FIGS um g ATTORNEY vlatented ct. (2',

signing,l Enai tt, NQ', Y., assignors` to vInternational Business Machines ...Corporatiom New York, N.' Y., a corporation of New York oriiia'i iiiiitiiinvembei 2, 1942, serial No. 467,244; .Dividedand this application May 15, 1946,' Serial No.v 669,860

planetary gearing; lSerial No. 6 5{i,9`38, led on'. April 25, 1946 new Patent 2,566,927, for address] printing `under control of heading cards'Wand serial No. 202,^112j, n1ed on Deembefvz'ngeiio, for; character printing devices with improved'fzcning controls and Zero eliminating mechanism.

The invention reIatesgeneraHy to" improved sorting devices and more particularlyv to means for offset stacking of heading cards in a record controlled tabulator.

A n object of `the invention iste furnish miproved stackingdevices which operate to segregate' item'and heading cards under control of .sensing devices. i

Other objects of theinvention will be pointed fout in the following `descripticn and claims and .illustrated inthe' accompanying drawings,` which disclose, by way `of example, the principle Mof` the invention and the bestmode, which has been contemplated, o f applying that principle.

Inthe drawings: Fig. 1 i's a'perspective viewof th'eentire machine; Fig.V 1'a` shows sample itemand heading cards. Fig'. 1b 'shows an example' of a' printed report zSh.

Fig. 2 is' a gestionar sie-vasen View showing the clutchA devices and drive gearing cooperating with :the card feeding rollers.`

Fig. a ist; Semoun elevation View' shewmgte card'feeding and sensing de`vices.` n

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan'view' showing the card feeding devices.`

rig. 5 is a getan View showing theciutemngjj devices cooperating'with card feeding mecha'- rig; e is a' derail view inside elevation showing the planetary gearing provided for accelerating the card feeding rollers.

Fig. '7 isasectional plan View" show'in'g'the card' :feed accelerationgeaiing;

Fig. 8 is a wiring `diagram"illustrating theelectrical controls associated with the oiset stacking" devices. j

Fig. 9 isaJ time chartishowing the sequence of operation or control contacts.

Tlieizzustmfw machine A Lperspective View 'i lor the entire.` is

shown inFig. l'. There it is seen that a case l5 z cisims. (o1. 209;;116)

encloses the various operating units of themachine. At the upper left hand corner is :a mechanism CF provided to feed and sense the `perfo-l rated. record cards. Extending across the rear of thernachine isa portion ACC` wherein is held one hundred orders or banks of accumulators assembled in two tiers with ftyseparateordersin each tier. Near thecenter of the machineis a keyboard K upon. which is mounteda seriesof nvecontrol keys and a set of nine control switches. At .the `right side of the machine is an extension` containing the printing mechanism .identied by the designation PR. Extending from thisprint.- ingunt is a box containing the main switch SW. At therear of the printing unitis a platen P hold.- ingthe `record sheetR, the movement of which is controlled `byan automatic carriage mechanism ACof the kind shown in Patent No.. 2,189,025.

Acrossthe front. of the machine is .a series of` door openings for making accessible the parts of the machine requiring changes of record sheets or. pluggingconnections. Door 'I6 covers aprogram4 device and door Il covers the plug-board..

Frame work The operating mechanism of theV machine is suspended within a cage made up of a series of connected horizontal and vertical .angle .irons or bars.. Referring to Fig. 2, it is noted that a series of horizontal angle irons are connected. to form a `base 8|.. Supported at the four cornersofithe base are vertical bars 82 and other bars are placed in intermediate positions to strengthenthe een. ter. ofthe framework.` The main support inthe machine is located in the `center of the cage of angle ,irons and extends from left to right through the full length of the machine. .This main sup.- port iscomposed of acentral hollow. core. 84 ex. tending the. entirelength of the machine, and

fromdt there. extend substantial..webs for sup..

porting many units of mechanism. It.. is a large casting, formed as a unit with the extending webs branching therefrom.

4InFig. 2, which is a view looking' left. side oi the machin@ itis seen that extending from the central core 8 4 is a pair of horizontal. webs 85 and 86 extending to the left and right, re-

provided with two print control stations.

In Fig. 2 it is seen that a motor M is attached to the rear side of the vertical frameweb 8l. Opposite the motor M and attached to the other side of the web 8l is a generator G. Connecting the motor and generator is a belt 9i for driving the generator to create operating current whenever the motor M is operated from the usual alternating current source of. power. The motor shaft extends toward the left beyondhthe generator shaft and carries a pulley around which is Wrapped a belt 93 passing upwardly around alarge driving pulley 94 connected to a spur gear 95 (Fig. 3) pivoted on a center 96 extending from one of the card feed unit frames 91. The driving motion is communicated through gear 95 to a large gear 99 (Fig. 4) attached to a main drive shaft i90 passing through the card feed unit.

At this point it is well to mention that the driving mechanism is not all operated with a uniform motion. Although the driving action of shaft lili) is communicated directly to the printing, accumlating, total taking, and other devices of the machine for operation in a uniform manner, other gearing devices associated with the card feed and group control mechanisms are driven through a gear i' l5 (Figs. 2, 4, 6 and '7) attached to shaft-| and cooperating with a planetary gear train for accelerating the drive connections associated with the card feed for reasons explained more fully hereinafter. Shaft |09 rotates at the rate of only one revolution for two cycles of operation, but the shafts geared thereto are driven with a 1 to 1 ratio.

For purposes of connection to the devices driven with a uniform motion, shaft |09 extends toward the right of the machine and has attached thereto a gear for driving a gear train leading to the accumulating and program devlces.

There are other driving devices the motions of which are not uniform but have accelerated intervals. Before discussing the operation of the driving mechanism for feeding and sensing a record card, it is believed well to point out the arrangements of index points on the record card and the influence such arrangements have on the card feeding drive.

Perforated record cards The three cards illustrated in Fig. la are representative of the different cards found in a group relating to an account, a class, or related items having some other common origin. The two lower cards HIC and H2O are heading cards for controlling the printing of alphabetic matter, such as name, address, names of merchandise, etc. The top card I is an item card, many of which are associated with each pair of heading cards to carry numerical information regarding number, amount, price, size, etc. In order that more than one line of alphabet printing may be taken from each heading card, the card is divided into two halves and the sensing mechanism is Usually, as the heading card passes through the sensing means, one line of alphabet printing may be derived from one-half the card, and then later, as it passes through the other sensing station an- 4 other line of alphabet printing may be recorded from the perforated information appearing in the other half of the card.

The path followed by the cards in passing through the sensing devices may be observed in Fig. 3. There it is seenthat the cards are assembled ina magazine MAG at the left with the heading cards interspersed between related item cards I. The cards are picked off one by one from ,the bottom of the stack in the magazine and sent across the machine toward the right (i. e., toward the back of the machine when observed from the front) and through a series of four sensing stations lettered A, B, C and D. Each card passes a pair of sensing stations in a single cycle of operation. The brushes at the sensing station A.

comprise an upper zoning control while the next set of brushes B are devoted to control for print-- ing. The next set of sensing brushes C from an other or secondary Zoning control, and the sens ing devices at D comprise a second printing con trol station. After leaving the last sensing sta-y tion D, the cards continue to move toward the: right and are picked up successively by a stacker.I drum S which deposits them in one of two places.. The first stacking station OFF is identified as an; offset stacking station for receiving the head-A ing cards which are thus segregated from thee item cards carried further by the stacking drum*l S and deposited in the stack ST containing all', item cards I. The card handling devices are.-v

described more fully hereinafter, reference here.A f-

being merely for the purpose of describing thefl path of motion taken by a card when passing.: through the sensing stations. Y

The cards are ordinarily picked out of the; magazine in evenly timed succession and at in tervals adapted to place one card in cooperationi with brushes at stations A-B while the ad vanced card is in a similar state of cooperation; with the brushes at stations C-D. An exception.` is involved in the handling of heading cards in; that successive feeding is interrupted as explained hereinafter under Heading card control.

Referring again to Fig. la, it is noted that the\v cards each contain eighty vertical rows of index: positions, each row having twelve index points,v ten of which are allotted to digit representations; in the form of perforations and two other upperl positions I2 and Il for Zone control or special XI and R control perforations. This is the ordinary' I-Iollerith arrangement of index points ona per-- forated record. As is usual in machines of this'l kind, the vertical distance between index points:

is taken as a measure of machine cycle operation.,

Many machines have a sixteen point cycle, that is, they feed a card uniformly through the twelve. vertical index positions under a sensing device and then have four additional and similar time intervals devoted to control operation.

In the present machine, a cycle of twenty points was found necessary to allow sufficient time for operations other than sensing operations. In one operating cycle of the present machine more than half of the operating time is consumed by the passage of thetwelve vertically arranged index points on a record card under the sensing devices.,and then eight other intervals of time similar to that consumed by the pas-l sage of a card from one index point to another are provided for control operations. The feeding motion is accelerated during the last third of each cycle.

In explaining the need for a card feed drive 5 that-isnct. uniform in.` entiere.,V retirer-.leef may. be made to Fig. 3 wherein by comparison with the twelve; points; f: Width ofi the. card, it Seen` that the card sensing stations A, and C cannot. be spaced close enough tol be, Within twenty index pointV positions with respect to oneanother. In other words, a uniiormmotion of thecards across the machine. under the, sensing deviceswould not conform 'withy the. twenty point vcycle( found; desirable for. operationofthe remainder.` ofA thema,- chine. A n amount of time. greater than twenty intervalsj wouldbe required to feed a. card from station A to, station C. Therefore, the` card feeding devices are providedwithplanetary gearing for` speeding up,Y the motionof, the card and all other cooperating devices during; card feeding time otherthanV thefperforationsensine time A pair o f cardsismoved; withyauniform motion `un-` der` a pair of setsof` sensing brushes` while; the perforatiQns are, controlling printingg Then., immediately after` this. phase` of the operation is ended. a` set` of. planetaryv gears cooperates with theV driving mechanismAv tov accelerate the card movement and4 pass, themthrough the space` leading. to. the next` pair ofsets of; brusheswhichis greater; than the space eciuivalentto. eightcycle index:` point intervals; remaining in the, operating cycle.. The acceleratingtdevices forthe card feed mechanism will now `bedescribed..

Card feed driving mechanism As already pointed` out withreierence toFig,r6, agear II5 is fastened to. the main drivingshaft I which is constantly operated in a clockwise direction; one-half revolution for each cycle d as longV as the motor M isf operated. This gearv ||5 is the drivingwsourceof the card..feeding card Stacking, group control and cam contact operating'devices.

Iriiigs,` and '7,it is seen thatithis gear I|5 meshesllwilth the Asmaller gear I7|Jof.a `pair. of einedgears|70,V ITI looselypivotedpna stud |72 nighttime-.from theT side of4 an aceleratinalever |73 loosely pivoted on shaft IUD. Alsocarried by lever, I73cisa pair; of planetary pinions` |74, |75 which are connected bybeing pinnedon Athe same stubshaft. |764 running: through a` ball bearing ElfiI found in the-end ofanfarm extendingfrom leven` |73, The planetary pinionIN-:meshes with the gear |7I driven by gear4 I|5 throughpinion Il'pmA Theldriving motion 0f eetrA II5 is carried directly through the chain of gearing I7Il,` y.I 7 I, .I 74 and |75to anothergearv I 78Lattachedzto a notched cltitchdiskf |79` loosely mounted on shaft. |00. Thedireetion of `operationais not maintained so that, asfdrive gear II5`(Fg.l 6) is operated ina clockwiserdirection, clutch disk |79 (Fig..5) is turned` in a 1connterclockwised direction.,

Adjacent clutch disk |79 (Fig. 7) and separated therefromfbya collar |80is a largegearv |8| carrying, a, pair, of `clutch ,dogs.|82,, |83, (Fig. 5),. These clutch dogs ,are pivoted at |84 `and,|85,re` spectively, and are joined by a link |86. Each is formednvith a, hook-shaped projection adapted to engageeither of the notches.l87, `|88 vformed in disk? |79. d They arenormallyprevented -from doing sojby an armature lever I9whic h abuts against an extending arm projecting from either clutch dog. The armaturelever-|90fis pivoted at |9| on the feed unit frame98 and formedwith an extension. il 92 i cooperatingywith. an. armature |93 assembled .above the card feed. control magnet CFC.` Aspring |94 attachedto armature lever |90 tends at all times torock itinaicounterclockwise direction `and so v operates.ywhen.I 'he magnet CFC: is energized: Then. the clutch: cessare; al lowed to engage the; disk` I79and turrligear IGI( in a connterclockwise direction( (Fig, 5)I` as driven throughV the planetary gearing. Armature lever |530.;islrestoredl by one of two pins |96 projecting from side of. gear I8,| and cooperating. with an extension |97-;formed on the lever and placedin thepathofl the pins Iwhen. the clutch connection ismade.,

Another pair of pins |98 projects from the Vside of gearl |8| opposite to the side bearing pins |96,- and` they cooperate with a reboundpreventing latch- I 9 95also pivoted'on center I 9| andtensioned by spring 20to snap into place as theclutch gear reaches the-.normal position.

The` driving operation of gear; |8I (Eig. .7); is communicatedtoa similar gear 2|I|V connected thereto by a hub 292 loosely mounted on shaft IiiJ.` A chain of gearing reachingtowardthe rear of 4the machine is driven through operation of gear 20| while another assemblage of gearing near the iront of the machine is `drivengloy rgear ISI.

In Fig..2 it` is seen that gear 29| meshestwith an idler gear 2547011 a shaft 255. Cooperating with gear 291i` isr a larger gearr206 pivoted `on. a stud207 extending from the side frame 98. The drive continues from gear Zqto a meshingtgear 203 fastened on a shaft 209 carrying..abox cam 2li) forcontrolling operation of the planetary gearsfcooperating lwith the cardfeed drive. I Gear Zrlmeshes with another gear 2I2 fastenedito a shaft -2I3carrying the stackerdrum S'shownin Fig..

On the left side of thelcard feediunittffFig.fr)` the drivecontinues from shaft 2ll9=to a shaft 2|5 carryingcams for operating card feed` control contacts.` On shaft 2|5 is `fastened a gear-ZIB cooperatingv with a gear 288 fastenedy to thegend of shaft 299 which is driven through gear 208, as alreadymentioned. e

A` horizontaltrain of gearing is driven :toxopf: erate the picker device and the` feed rollersfor handling the cards as they rst appear `leaving the magazine. Cooperating withV one Yof, the main card feed gears |8| (Fig. 2) isa small gear 225looselymounted on a stud 227 extending-from the .side frame 98. Also meshing with gear 226 isa gear 223 loosely mounted on a shaft229 and carrying a clutch disk `23|! (Fig. 5). Shaft 229 (Fig. 4); extends acrossthe card `feeduhit,AY and to its left end is fastened a boxcam 23| forycon trollingmovementof a picker (Fig. 3)` for pushf ing the cards out of the magazine `in succession. Onthe right end of shaft229A (Figs.` 2 and4) lare fixed a pair of cams 2I3 and 2i9 forsoperatinga pair `of upper brush supply contacts H2 zandiHI, respectively, to control the card sensing impulses originating at sensing stations A andB;

Although gear 223 and `clutch.dislp(F'ig)` are i rotated `continuously as long `as the motor operatingshaft 229,` cams. 2I8and 2I9, the con nected gearing and the box cam for operatingthe card moving ,devices to issue a cardzout ofwthe magazine-are operatedselectively under control of atmagnetH which is effective to release a pairl of clutchdogs 233 and 234 pivoted at 2135 and 236 upon a disk 237 (Fig. 4) attached toshaft 229... The clutch dogs 233 and 234 are shownen'` gagedtoshaft 229. Theclutch dogs 233 and 234 are shown engaged withdisk 23|] (Fig. 5) as they` are normally when cardfeeding is operated suc-,1. cessively. However, `therev are times f whenma headingfcardis to be held up1.before thesensing: devicestwhile aapreceding card advancediA Then the heading card is sensed twice for successive printing from the same card.

The operation of the clutch devices connected with shaft 229 may be followed further with reference to Fig. 5 by noting that the dogs 233, 234 are connected by a link 240 and both are formed with extensions cooperating with a release lever 24| pivoted at 242. Clutch release lever 24| has a horizontal arm normally abutting against the lower end of armature 243 pivoted at 244 and operated by the hopper control magnet H. A spring 245 tends to rock the armature-243 away from magnet H to hold lever 24| cocked in a counterclockwise direction to release the clutch dogs. However, when the magnet is energized, the armature is rocked in a clockwise direction, releasing lever 24| for operation under control of spring 246 tending to turn it in a clockwise direction and move a vertical arm thereon in the path of the extensions on the dogs, so that they are rocked about pivots 235 and 236 and disengaged from the notched disk 238.

After a cycle of operation wherein the clutch vis disengaged, a cam 241 attached to idler gear 226 goes into play to operate a long arm 239 on clutch release lever 24|, so that the lever is rocked back in a counterclockwise direction to release the clutch dogs for normal engagement with the card magazine drive.

A rebound locking arm 248 is pivoted on the armature center 244 and disposed in the path of a pair of pins 249 extending from the side of gear 228. Spring 258 maintains the latch 248 in operating position s that, after the pin passes the front end of lever 248, it is prevented from turning backwards in a clockwise direction and the card feeding devices connected with shaft 229 are held in a normal position. The picker and other feeding parts in Figs. 2 and 3 are shown in a partly operated position.

Whenever the clutch release lever 24| (Fig. 5) is tripped by an operation of magnet H to suspend card issuance, a pair of contacts 25| is allowed to close by movement of an insulation block 252 mounted on the under side of the release lever 24|.` When the lever is restored, the contacts 25| are opened but, as soon as the lever is released, the contacts are allowed to close. They control contact switching attending heading card sensing as explained hereinafter. Other hopper clutch contacts 268e are assembled below contacts 25| and also operated by clutch lever 24| but, since they are normally closed, they are opened when contacts 25| close. Contacts 288C are used forheading card control to suspend group control functions as noted later.

Before going further into the explanation of the manner of issuing the cards out of the maga-V zine and across the sensing devices, it is believed well to point out how the drive gearing already mentioned is accelerated for a portion of its cycle of operation. Referring to Fig. 2, it is observed that the .box cam ZID, already mentioned, is driven in a clockwise direction, and is formed with a cam groove 252 into which protrudes a roller 253 on one arm of a bell crank 254 pivoted at 255. The lower end of this bell crank 254 is pivotally attached to a link 256, the other end of which is articulated on the planetary gear carrying4 arm |13 (Fig. 6). These connections serve to move the gearing |10, |1|, |14, |15 with respect to gears |5 and |18, so that instead of direct 1:1 ratio of operation between the driver ||5 to the driven gear |18, there is additional movement imparted whenthe gear carrier |13 moves in a.

counterclockwise direction- (Fig. 6) with respect to the driving gear |5. Y

The cam groove 252 (Fig-2) is seen toY have a pair of sharply curved lobes, each of which serves to oscillate the bell crank 254 up and down for each cycle as the box cam 2 I8 rotates in aclockwise direction. In the rst part of the motion of the cam, the bell crank is rocked in a counterclockwise direction and the planetary gear carrier |13 is also moved in a counterclockwise direction to advance the gearing and accelerate the movement at a time when the card is being brought t0 the sensing station. Then the connected planetary gears are shifted around the moving driving gear ||5 and serve to speed up the operation of the gearv |18 connected to the `.clutch disk. Through theclutch this accelerated motion is imparted to all the chains of gearing mentioned hereinbefore. In other words, the various gear trains deriving their motion from gears |8| and 28| (Fig. '1) are operated through a, portion of the cycle in an accelerated manner and then later have a retarded movement as the planetary gears are restored. Deceleration is uniform and the drive gears are proportioned to compensate for it.

After one-half cycle (one-quarter revolution of cam 2|8 (Fig. 2)), the other lobe of the cam cooperates with-the bell crank 254 and it pushes arm |13 in a clockwise direction. The planetary gears in moving clockwise (Fig. 9) have a decelerating effect'on clutch gear |18 at a time when cards are being analyzed at stations B and D, but the retarding movement is uniform and compensated. Y

Gears 28| and 286 (Fig. 2) cooperate with six pairs of` pinions for rotating the card feeding rollers cooperating directly with the card. Gear 28| operates in a counterclockwise direction and turns a pinion 215 in a clockwise direction to move the card toward the right. Meshing with pinion 215 is a similar pinion 214 on the opposite side of the card path. This cooperating pair of pinions is mounted on shafts 264 and 285 passing through the card feed side frames.

Two other pairs of card feed rollers are operated by the gear 286. The one pair of gears 216, 211 are fastened on shafts 268 and 261, and the lower gear 211 meshes with the driver 286. In a similar fashion shafts 268 and 269 carry the last set of feed rollers and pinions 218 and 219 and are driven by a gear 286. The geai` 228 loosely mounted on shaft 229 near the magazine cooperates with two pairs of feed rollers to carry the cards along as they leave the magazine. The flrst pair of shafts 268, 26| carry pinions 218, 21|, the latter meshing with the drive gear 228. In a similar fashion, shafts 282, 263 are rotated by pinions 212, 213 thereon cooperating with the drive gear 228.

The cards are issued out of the magazine (Fig. 3) by means of picker devices operated selectively under control of the clutch devices and magnet H. The magazine is built up with a wall 28| fastened between the card feed unit side frames 91 and 98. Opposite to wall 28| is a pair of vertical cards guides 282 (Fig. 4) fastened to a base plate 283 which is slotted to carry a pair of picker slides 284. These slides 284 are mounted directly-beneath the table upon which the cards rest in the magazines, and each carries a blade 285 which extends above the Y card supporting surface far enough to engage the edge of the bottom card when the picker slide is moved to the extreme left position as viewed in Fig. 3.

The bottomsof the picker slides 284 are provided with rack teeth with which theremeshes a pair of sectors 286 fastened to a shaft 281 carried in the feed unit side frames. Also attached to shaft281 and extending outside 'the left side frame 91 (Fig. 4) is an operating arm288 carrying a roller 289 fitted with-in the cam groove 29D cut into the box cam 23|. As already explained, cam 23| is attached to the shaft 229 which rotates at all times except when magnet H is energized to disengage the clutch cooperating with shaft 229. The cam grove 290 is proportioned with a double lobe because the connections are operated through a half revolution for each cycle of operation of the machine.

Whenthe cam is operated, the operating arm 288 is lifted rapidly and the picker slide 284 is moved toward the left (Fig. 3) to catch the for- Ward edge of the bottom card. Directly thereafter, the cam groove reverses the motion of the picker oscillating parts and, with a diminished speed of operation, the slide 284 is moved toward the right to carry the bottom card into the first set of card feeding rollers carried by the shafts 260 and 26|.

After the card is engaged by the first set of rollers, it is carried across the machine from left to right (Fig. 3) from one set `of rollers to the the other .and cooperating successively with the four sensing :stations A, B, C and D. At the iirst sensing station A, an 4insulationbar 292 carries a set of downwardly projecting sensing brushes 293 cooperating with a contactroller 294 fastened to a shaft 2.95. While the card is in cooperation with brushes `293, it rocks a card lever 296 copperating wit-h a pair `of card lever .contacts 291 which are closed as long as a Vcard is at the sensing station A. The card is confined to a straight line direction of `rnotionbetween the various sets of rollers by a pair of slotted plates 299 and 299 extending along `the card path on both sides of the line of .contact between the upper and lower 4feed rollers.

After the card passes under the first set of brushes 293, it is-ca-rried along by the rollers 292, 1263 to the `sensing station B, wherein `a block 395 carries a set of brushes 382 cooperating with a contact roller 303 fastened to shaft 394. The card is shift further to the left by rollers 294, 295 to stationC wherein a .carrying block 385 forms .a mounting for aset of brushes 391 cooperating with a contact roller l3l'l8 .on a shaft 309. At this station ,another .card lever `3|!! is pivoted in the path of the cardand, `when operated by the card, closes a second tpairof card lever `contacts 3H.

The final sensing station D is reached when the .card is advanced by thefeed rollers 235, 231, and `there .the cardpasses overa contactroller 3 I 2 cooperating-.with a set of `brushes `3 I 4 :fastened to an .insulation block 3 I5. After passing the last brush station D, the .card is `carried into the stacker drum S by vmeans of the-feed. rollers 298, 259. As thecard projects beyond plates 298, 299, it is engagedby oneof` a `pair .of grippers 3| 1, 3I8 pivotally mounted onthe drum S. This drum is royliatecl with shaftlz I3 in a counterclockwise direction-.to deposit a `card in-one of the two card receivers or stackers.

, The rst stacker 4is the yone for receiving the heading .cardsand `it .issupported on a frame comprising `two rectangular bars 3I9 fastened across the feed unit side frames. Secured above the frame 3I9 is a base plate 329 `formed with a horizontal slot 312|, `which guides a carriage 322 with across plate 323 pressing the deposited cards against thestacker drums. The cardsnormaliy pass this first oifsetlstacking station or bin OFF because the majority of the cards are item cards which are supposed to go to the second stacker. However, when a magnet O is operated, its armature 324 places an elongated deiiector 325 inthe path of the card as it is carried by vone of the clips or grippers 3 I 1, 3 I 8. When magnet O is operated, it is ra sign that the card is a .heading card and is supposed to be deposited in the first stacking station. Then, the armature 324 is rocked in a clockwise direction `about pivot 32B and the deflector 325 protrudes within the outer periphery of drum S and .engages the forward edge of the heading card and presses it back against the group of cards in front of plate 323 as the `stacker clip passes and continues to rotate in a `counterclockwise direction.

Every time the offset stacker magnet O (Fig. 6) is operated to deposit a heading card in stacker OFF, an upper `extension on armature 324 presses a pair of contacts 3 |6 into a closed position. The control exercised by contacts 3||1` is explained with reference to the wiring diagram.

The stacker ST for .the item cards I is held lon a frame 329 fastened at an angle between the feed unit side frames. On frame 329 is a base plate 33D `and a pair of grooved sidewalls 33| between which the cards are assembled. Along .the groovedside walls there rides a-carriage 332 to which is attached a pressure plate 333for holding the cards upright. A switch 334 `is mounted -on the base plate y33|) near the upper end and in alignment with a rearward extension or projection .3.35 on the pressure plate 333. As the stacker ST becomes filled, plate 333 and projection 339 move to the left (Fig. 3) against switch 334 to operate it to off and stop the machine. A second, shorter `extension 339 is placed on plate to throw the knob of switch 334 to the on position when the plate is moved to the right after the stacked I cards are removed.

The four contact rollers 294, 393, 398 and SI2 .are driven by gearing located near the left side frame 91 (Fig. 3) of the feed unit. Attached to each of the lower feed rollers 26|, 263, 265 and .281 is a pini-on v251 in mesh with an idler pinion 258 which drives a contact roller through a pinion ,259 fastened thereon. Because of the proportions of the drive gearing. the contact rollers are moved in synchronism with passage of 'the card through the sensing stations.

Attached to the right end of the shaft 229 (Fig. 4) are the two cams 2| 8 and2 I 9 for operating the pair of contacts H2 and HI in timed relation with the operation of the picker. The contacts are mounted on, but insulated from, an extension block 2| I fastened to frame 98.

Heading card control When heading cards are used and a plurality of printing impressions are t0 be effected from each card, a number of switches is closed in the machine. The switches HCS, HCSa and OSS (Fig. 8) are manually operated to make effective magnets and relays causing heading card control. These three switches are in series with three contacts |2|8, |2|9, and |229 also in series with three card reading brushes at the A, C and D stations. A slide 34| is cam operated (Fig. 3) to open ordinary contacts and cut out zoning and digit impulses at proper times during a card reading cycle. Although the three contacts are associated with the Zone switching controls, they are not disturbed by slide 34| but remain closed throughout all machine operations. They are connectedto brushes in the rst column position in alignment with the position occupied by perforation 350 (Fig. la) which they are designed to sense. Contacts |2I8 are connected to brush 293 in the first position of sensing station A, contacts I2I9 are connected to brush 301' in the first position of sensing station C, and contacts |229 are -connected to brush 3 I 4 in the first position of sensing station D.

When a heading card is detected at the first sensing station A, a hopper control magnet H is operated to suspend movement of the heading card and prevent movement of cards out of the magazine, so that the preceding card can move alone to clear the path for print control from the upper brushes B and multiple printoperations. The circuit for hopper control can be traced from line I |85 at the right, thence through hopper clutch magnet H, wire I22I, switch HCS, contacts |2|8, brush 293', through a perforation 360v in the heading card HI, contact roller 294, common brush 293e and distributor contacts HI and card lever relay contacts RIb to line I |84.

The hopper clutch magnet H (Fig. 2) not only operates to open the clutch connections to the magazine feed but it also serves to operate pairs of contacts 298e and 25| for effectingr other heading card control. The contacts 209e open to suspend group control operation while heading card operation is taking place. Since the group control operation is of no direct concern herein, the complete circuit with contacts 298e is not shown in Fig. 8, but is illustrated in the parent case, not Patent 2,493,858. The other hopper control contacts 25| are .closed in series with a relav R5. The complete circuit throughrelay R5 includes line/HNL cam contacts CF1, wire |223, contacts 25|. relav R5 to line H|l5. The relay closes holdin.` contacts and a circuit is established through line H84, cam contacts CF, wire |7224, holding contacts R5a, relay R5, and line H25. Relav R5 not only operates the associated holding contact but it also operates two other pairs of contacts in series with the card feeding control circuit. One of these connections, contacts R5b, is in series with the magnet BSW for operating switch contacts. This magnet is effective for alternatingr printing control after the headin'J card passes station B. Turning back to Fig. 8. it is seen that both contacts Rfb and the I brush switch magnet BSW are arranged in parallel` with the card feed clutch magnet CFC and remain energized while the card feed is maintained to feed the delayed heading card.

The third Set of relay contacts R50 is arranged in shunt around lower card lever relay contacts R20. They maintain card feeding operation until the heading card passes through the fourth sensing station. As a heading card continues to move through the card sensing devices, it passes under station C and there connections are established to make effective a relay R4 for causing many lcontrols needed in connection with consideration of heading cards. The relay is picked up by a circuit including line H85, relay R4,

wire |221, switch HCSa, contacts |2|9, brush 301' in the first column, the special perforation in the heading card, contact roller 398, common brush 391e to distributor contacts CFI and relay contacts R21) to line H86. A holding circuit is established for relay R4 through line I |8fi (Fig. 8), wire |223, cam contacts CFIS, wire |229, holding contacts Rlla, relay R4, and line i |95.

Relay R4 operates to open contacts in series with the automatic control circuit to disable the.

1-2 circuit while heading cards are vpassing through. the machine.

A third contact is operated by relay R4 for setting up circuit connections to control the printing of zeros. During printing under control of heading cards, it is desired that zeros be printed in address names and numbers to the left of the amount columns.

A fourth set of contacts operated by relay R4 are connected in a card counting circuit for either counting all cards or counting cards other thanY heading cards.

As the heading card passes through the last sensing station D, it sets up a circuit for the energization of relay RIU which controls the oifset stacking of the heading cards. All cards pass the offset station, but the item cards vare allowed to continue on to the main stacking station while the heading cards are retained at the intermediate station OFF. The circuit for the stacking control relay passes through line H (Fig. 8)l relay RII), wire |242, the closed offset stacking switch OSS, contacts |220, brush 3 |4'in the first column position, then through the special Vperforation 360 in the heading card HI, `contact roller 3| 2, common brush 3|4c, distributor contacts CFZ, wire |238 and relay contacts R2b and line H84. The stacker relay then operates contacts R||Ja to set up a holding circuit, the circuit following a path along line H84 to wire |243, cam contacts CFIB, wire-|244, contactsrR|0c, relayRI, and line H85.

Relay RID operates other contacts Rlb in series with the offset control magnetl O. The circuit through magnet O involves line H84, cam contacts CFH, wire |245, relay contacts Rlb, magnet O, wire |246, contacts Rllla, relay RIU and line |85. Turning to Fig, 3, it is noted that the magnet O places the deector 325 in the path of the cards carried by the stacker drum S and causes the heading cards to be deposited in the stacking station OFF. There it is also noted that the armature of magnet O operates to closei a pair of contacts 3|6. Turningback to Fig. 8,

. it is seen that these contacts n3|6 are arranged in series with magnet O and serves as part of a sustaining circuit including cam contacts CRI9.

It is believed well to summarize the various op= erations caused by heading card control. The sensing of the first heading card causes energization of the hopper clutch magnet. This clutch disengages for the purpose of retaining the first heading card at the upper brushes, i. e. short of entry under the brushes at station B', while the preceding card passes the lower brushes for item printing purposes. The following card cycle will then be devoted to printing from the heading card under the upper brushes. This is accomplished by unlatching the brush switch bar f from the high cam position by the same impulse used to energize the card feedrclutch magnet. This impulse in energizing the switch bar magnet BSW must pass through a switch bar relay contact R512, therelay R5 having been picked up by card feed contact CF1 in the cycle that the hopper clutch remained disengaged; A CF contact CFB is then used to hold the relaycircuit until early in the following card cycle. It should be noted that the following cycle may not be a card cycle and, therefore, switch bar latching will be delayed until a card feed clutch engaging impulse is initiated. Y Y

The brush switch bar tends to vremain in the lifted position during the zoning and printing time.. When the magnet BSW is tripped, the bar shifts the printing control from columns 2 to 40 of the upper brushes to the columns 4| to B0 of the lower brushes. Lower brushes in columns 2 to 40 are controlled by a brush cutout bar which remains in the closed contact position except when the heading card is passing the lower brushes and also when printing from the heading card at the upper brushes.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a machine controlled by two classes of records bearing indicia representing accounting data, one of said classes of records bearing special indicia, a plurality of sensing stations with means for sensing said indicia, means for feeding said records one by one past said sensing means, means under control of said sensing means for operating machine controls, a pair of separate stackers for said classes of records, said stackers being displaced in the path of said records beyond said sensing means, means for sensing said special indicia, a common stacking drum around which said stackers radiate outwardly and are both cooperatively related thereto, said drum being situated beyond said sensing means and mechanically separated from all of said sensing stations and having means to carry the records to said stackers, the first of said stackers being with 180 of the point where a record is grasped by said carrying means beyond the sensing means, a delector cooperating with said carrying means on the drum for directing one class of records into the rst of said stackers,

means for carrying the other class of records into i the other stacker, a magnet for operating said defleotor, and means under control of said special indicium sensing means for operating said magnet, whereby a record is taken off said drum 14 and deposited in said rst stacker in less than of rotary movement of said drum.

2. In a machine controlled by two classes of records bearing indicia representing accounting data, one of said classes of records bearing special indicia, a plurality of sensing stations with means for sensing said indicia, means for feeding said records one by one past said sensing means, means under control of said sensing means for operating machine controls, a pair of separate stackers for said classes of records, said stackers being displaced in the path of said records beyond said sensing means, means for sensing said special indicia, a common stacking drum around which said stackers radiate outwardly and are both cooperatively related thereto, said drum being situated beyond said sensing means and mechanically separated from all of said sensing stations and having means to carry the records to said stackers, a deector cooperating with said carrying means on the drum for directing one class of records into the iirst of said stackers, means for carrying the other class of records into the other stacker, a magnet for operating said deilector, means under control of said special indicia means for operating said magnet to shift the deiiector and take a record olf the drum and deposit it in said first stacker in the initial turn of the rotary movement of said drum, a pair of contacts operated by said deflector, and a holding circuit for said magnet including said pair of contacts.

FRED M. CARROLL. ARTHUR F. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,633,936 Ford June 28, 1927 1,667,881 Campbell May 1, 1928 1,710,691 Carroll Apr. 30, 1929 1,935,442 Goff Nov. 14, 1933 2,251,221 Cleven July 29, 1941 2,359,670 Page Oct. 3, 1944 

